Silencer for flush valves



Jam. 14, 19360 J. FREEZE) SILENCER FOR FLUSH VALVES Filed March 14, 1933 INVEN TOR. F/@ E JOSEPH T RNEY Patented Jan. 14, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

The invention relates particularly to a silencing device to be used in connection with flush valves of the type commonly used on lavatory fixtures, for rendering the operation thereof relatively noiseless without impairing the efficiency thereof. 7 4

An object of the invention is to provide a silencing apparatus to be connected to the inflow side of a flush valve and the source of fluid supply leading to said valve, to substantially eliminate the noise which is created when the fluid. from the supply line passes into the valve upon the opening of the valve, as well as the noise which results at the moment of closing of the valve when the fluid flow is stopped.

A further object of the invention is to provide a silencing device interposed between a flush valve and the fluid inflow pipe of said valve, to cushion the pressure of the fluid immediately before and after the opening and closing of the valve, without reducing the volume of fluid which may pass through the silencer into the flush valve.

Other objects and advantages are to provide a silencing device to be used in connection with flush valves that will be superior in point of simplicity, inexpensiveness of construction, positiveness of operation, and facility and convenience in use and general efficiency.

In this specification and the annexed drawing, the invention is illustrated in the form considered to be the best, but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to such form, because it may be embodied in other forms; and it is also to be understood that in and by the claims following the description, it is desired to cover the invention in whatsoever form it may be embodied.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1. r presents a side elevation of a flush valve and inflow pipe having a silencer connec- Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the fluid distributing member shown in Fig. 5.

In detail the construction illustrated in the drawing comprises a flush valve l, of any conventional type, such, for instance, as shown in Miller Patent No. 1,845,055 of February 16, 1932, said flush valve 1 being provided with a lateral inflow opening 2, and a downwardly extended outflow opening 3, said opening 3 being connected by a pipe to a lavatory fixture 4, such, for instance, as shown in Fig. 5.

The inflow opening 2 is connected to a pipe 5 communicating with a source of fluid supply. Between the fluid supply pipe 5 and. the inflow opening 2 on the flush valve I, I have provided a connection 6 in the form of a cylindrical casing which is adapted to contain mechanism adapted to silence the flow of water from the supply pipe to the flush valve. The casing 6 is externally threaded at 1, on an end thereof, into engagement with the inflow opening 2 on the flush valve and at its opposite end 8, the casing 6 is provided with a tapered seat which is held in engagement with the supply pipe 5 by a coupling nut 9.

Within the interior of the casing 6, coaxially with the longitudinal axis thereof, I have provided a stem 10, which stem is supported in fixed position within the casing on perforated discs H and i2. The disc ii is positioned at one end of the casing 5 adjacent the supply pipe 5, while the other disc 42 is arranged within the inner bore of the casing substantially midway between the ends thereof, and abuts against an annular shoulder 13 formed around the interior thereof.

A resilient baffle l4, preferably formed of rubber and having a circular cone-like contour, is mounted upon the stem ID, rearwardly of the foremost disc 12. A bushing I5 is provided between the rear face of the baffle l4 and the stem supporting plate [2 to hold said baffle in position rearwardly of the plate H. A similar bafile I1 is provided at the opposite end of the casing B, the ccned surface of said baflie seating against the bore of the casing. A similar cone shaped and resilient baffle 18 is arranged on the stem l0 intermediate the front and rear baiiles l4 and I1 respectively, said middle baflie being urged into contact with the rear face of the plate l2 by an expansion spring l6. concentrically around the stem [0, being confined at its opposite ends in grooved plates 20 and 21 mounted respectively on the rear face of the middle bafile I 8 and the front face of the rear baffle H.

The spring I9 is arranged The coned' faces of each of the bafiies M, i! and I8 face the direction of the water flow. Each of the bafiles are of a diameter corresponding to that of the interior of the casing and are formed of material having sufiicient inherent elasticity to normally engage the said casing with pressure sufilcient to prevent the passage therethrough of fluid not under pressure. The c 'cumference of each baffle'is slotted radially inward as at 22.

When the flush valve 5 is opened, water from the supply pipe 5, under pressure, immediately flows thru the silencer connection 6 to the flush valve. The pressure of the water is suflicient to force the peripheries of the baiiles away from contact with the casing, the slotted peripheries of said baliles allowing the same to yield more readily from contact with the casing. The middle baffle I8 may reciprocate on the stem l0 according to the limit of compression of the spring l9, and thus keep the fluid passing thru the connection 6 under pressure, by eliminating the air bubbles and swirling therefrom which tends to create noises in the operation of the flush valve. The baflies M, l? and !8 reduce the rate of flow or the fluid passing into the flush valve l but do not materially reduce the volume of water which is required for eficient operation of the flush valve.

In ordinary practice the water pressure on the inflow side of the flush valve is relatively high so that upon opening of the flush valve, the water passing thereinto creates considerable noise, and upon closing of the flush valve, additional noise results from the stopping of the water flow on the inflow side of the flush valve. With my invention, I reduce the speed of flow of fluid entering the flush valve and thereby silence about seventyfive percent of the noise resulting from such water flow. When the flush valve i is closed to stop the water flow, the baffles act as cushions which soften the stoppage of the Water flow, because of the fact that the pressure of the fluid within the casing 6 is reduced materially below the water pressure in the sup-ply line. Because the bafiies in the casing reduce the pressure greatly below the pressure in the supply line, it thus follows that the noise conditions which are created by sharply defined starting and stopping of the water flow under relatively high pressure, do not exist. The middle baflle iii has the effect of a floating piston, due to the spring action behind it, and all of thebaffles, because of their resilient nature, tend to soften or retard any sharp movement of the water flow entering or retiring from the flush valve.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a lavatory connected by a discharge pipe 39, to the outflow side of the flush valve l. At the point where said pipe 30 enters the fixture t to discharge water into said fixture, I have placed a distributer nozzle 3| which fits snugly within the discharge end of the pipe 36. The nozzle 3| is substantially cylindrical at its point of connection with the pipe 38 and at its other end is provided with a tapered and flattened side wall 32, a portion of the nozzle 3i opposite the flattened portion being cut away as at 33. The nozzle 3| has the eifect of discharging the water to the front portion of the fixture 4, to effect a more eflicient flushing operation than is had where the water is allowed to discharge directly into the rear part of the fixture.

Having thus described this invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A flush valve silencer comprising, a cylindrical casing adapted to be connected to the inflow port of the valve; and aplurality of baffles arranged in transverse spaced relation in said casing, each of said bafiles being of a diameter corresponding to that of the interior of the easing and formed of material the periphery of which will yield from circumferential contact with the casing to permit the flow of fluid to the inflow port when the flush valve is opened.

2. A flush valve silencer comprising, a cylindrical casing adapted to be connected to the inflow port of the valve; a stem mounted in the longitudinal center of said casing; a circular baflie of resilient material fixed on said stem adjacent each of the opposite ends of said casing and a circular bafile of resilient material slidably guided on said stem between said fixed bafiles; and a spring to oppose movement of said center battle under the pressure of fluid passing through said casing, the peripheries of all of said baiiles being free to yield away from the casing to permit the flow of fluid under pressure therethrough when the flush valve is opened, and to re-engage the casing and restrain backflow of the fluid when the valve is closed.

3. A flush valve silencer comprising, a cylindrical casing adapted to be connected to'the inflow port of the valve; a stem mounted in the longitudinal center of said casing; a circular battle of resilient material fixed on said stem adjacent each of the opposite ends thereof and a circular bafile of resilient material slidably guided on said stem between said fixed bafiies, each of said bafiies being cone shaped and positioned with the cone portion thereof facing the fluid flow and having the circumference thereof slotted radially;

and a spring to oppose reciprooative movement of said center bafile under the pressure of fluid passing through said connection, the peripheries of all of said bafiles being free to yield away from the casing to permit the flow of fluid under pressure therethrough when the flush valve is opened,

and to re-engage the casing and restrain backfiow of the fluid when the valve is closed.

JOSEPH FREED. 

